I GREW UP with this motto driven into me at home and all through school – Failure is not an option.

Getting a C on a paper was a failure. Not getting into the All-State Chorus was a failure. Getting accepted into my backup, second-choice college was a failure. Seeing a therapist was a failure. Being gay was a failure. Losing your job was a colossal failure.

It took me years to wrap my head around the fact that failure was okay. Something to learn from, not to fear and be ashamed of, and beat the hell out of myself.

I’m smiling with amazement and relief and ever so grateful to have changed how I see failing. The truth is – failure is an option. It’s acceptable. Part of living and success. There are no mistakes, only opportunities to learn and grow.

Sure, there’s pain and discouragement over you and your work not coming through as you hoped and dreamed. However, you can make a new choice, regroup, reset, see that change is possible, find a better direction, and move forward once again into success and failure. Cut loose sunk costs and dead-end situations, and create a new plan to achieve your desired goals. Things might even work better.

Why not say it out loud – “It might not work. I might fail.” Try it several times and see how comfortable you will become with learning from failure. Write it into your strategic plan for success.

Remember these words – “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” These words matter.

Keep your mind and heart focused on your goals, and keep trying until you succeed. Only through failures can we achieve, and we have to try again without giving up hope. Failure is not uncommon or weird. Everyone has experienced it. Failing is universal and historic.

I love how Thomas Alva Edison sees it – “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”

Thanks – Michael (he, him)

Please share this Daily with your tribes.
I like this for you also – Get Rid of Resistance – Honor Your Success.

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